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GAA17CA218

2017-04-06 · La Verne, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport POC

Current FAA registration · N206SA

Make / Model
BELL 206B
Year of manufacture
1973 · 44 years old at event
Engine
ALLISON 250-C20 SER (420 hp)
Seats / Engines
5 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19971204
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A1A9DE

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s early increased application of the collective during a simulated hovering autorotation, which resulted in a loss of rotor rpm and subsequent main rotor blade strike of the tailboom.

Factual narrative

The flight instructor in the helicopter reported that he was providing hovering autorotation training to a private pilot. The flight instructor reported that he rolled off the throttle to initiate the maneuver and the private pilot, "raised the collective too soon which resulted in the aircraft climbing." The rotor inertia decayed and a main rotor blade struck the tailboom after the helicopter struck the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor drive shaft. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor in the helicopter reported that he was providing hovering autorotation training to a private pilot. The flight instructor reported that he rolled off the throttle to initiate the maneuver, and the private pilot "raised the collective too soon which resulted in the aircraft climbing." The rotor inertia decayed, and a main rotor blade struck the tailboom after the helicopter struck the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor drive shaft. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft propeller/rotor-Rotorcraft flight control-Main rotor control-Incorrect use/operation - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action sequence-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2017_GAA17CA218.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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